Worthing came to The Prestige Group Stadium on Saturday and left with three points, beating Hartlepool 3:1 in the National League's ninth round of fixtures. The visitors had been building something under the surface — two draws and a win in their last three — and they showed it when the moment came. Hartlepool had scored first, but by then the visitors were already shifting their shape.
C. Adjetey-Brew gave the hosts the lead in the 35th minute, a neat finish that sent the home crowd into a brief frenzy. Worthing responded immediately, with J. Wadham picking up a yellow card for his frustration in the 31st minute, and then D. Hutchinson going off soon after the break. Hartlepool had worked the channels all evening, but they found themselves chasing the game after the opener.
R. Aguiar pulled the visitors level in the 59th minute, and it was only a matter of time before the balance shifted. W. Harris completed the turnaround in the 77th minute, and by then Hartlepool's defensive structure had started to crack. They threw on C. Kendall and J. Young in quick succession, but the visitors were comfortable now.
J. Marquez added a fourth goal in the 90th minute and collected a yellow card three minutes later, capping a performance that had been built on patience. Hartlepool had dominated the early exchanges, but they had nothing to do all evening once Worthing settled into their rhythm. The stadium fell silent as the visitors celebrated a result that felt inevitable.
The numbers tell a story of efficiency rather than dominance. Hartlepool registered 150 attacks against 117 for Worthing, but the visitors took 8 shots on target and scored 3, while the hosts managed 6 shots on target for 1 goal. Possession sat at 0.5 for both sides, but possession doesn't mean much when you're not creating clear chances.
Hartlepool remain in 19th place with 9 points from 9 games, now without a win in five league matches. Worthing move to 11th with 14 points, closing the gap on the teams around them. The scoreline reflects a game where three or four moments decided everything — the rest was just background noise.
